Why Teal Pumpkins Are Popping Up in Your Neighborhood This Year

Halloween just got a little safer

Have you taken a walk around the neighborhood and noticed a sudden influx of teal-hued squash? Nope, it’s not a new varietal. And don’t worry—the official colors of Halloween haven’t changed, it’s still all about the orange and black.

It’s actually a really cool phenomenon. They’re part of the Teal Pumpkin Project, started by FARE﻿ (Food Allergy Research & Education) in an effort to make Halloween trick-or-treating safer for kids with food allergies.

Here’s how it works: Painting a pumpkin teal and putting it on your doorstep signals that you are handing out non-edible goodies like spider rings or glow sticks instead of potentially tricky Snickers and Almond Joy.

So if your child is allergic to peanuts, just modify your usual route to hit up only the houses decked out with teal pumpkins. There’s even a map on FARE's website that shows all participating addresses in your area so families can find food-safe homes. Sweet.